Truitt, Texas, Runnels County ghost town. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

From "Eighteen Ghost Towns of Runnels County" by Alton O'Neil Jr.:

"Truitt was located ten miles east of Winters off Highway 1770. The town was named for the baby son of one the merchants, Truitt Billups. A post office was acquired March 21, 1904, with the appointment of John L. Golden. John Golden�s store was on the east side of the one street running north and south, and the Billups General Mercantile was on the west. The mail was delivered from Winters by John Brown the son of the justice of the peace. The post office was closed in 1912. Doctors Ash and Pool had their offices in the Branham drugstore. A Dr. Watson came in 1909 but moved to Crews two years later. A telephone system was installed in 1904, with the office in the Billups store. There was also a hardware store and blacksmith shop on the east side of the street.

Arthur Nichols started a gin and store in 1906. School was in a one room building, but with two teachers. It was consolidated with the Meadows School in 1915. Elmer Burke the Baptist minister held services at the schoolhouse. At one time there were eleven dwellings in Truitt. When the railroad was laid through Winters instead of Truitt, the town was doomed. All the buildings were moved away the next few years and there is nothing to show where Truitt was located except the cemetery. "

1907 postal map showing Truitt in NE Runnels County
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.